2014 08 14 barbarous barberry invasive plants series pt. 2
DESCRIPTION
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is an invasive plant in Cape Breton Nova Scotia. It has also been associated with Lyme disease, forest regrowth suppression, erosion, and more. We recommend removing it and not planting it on this Island as we do not have the population to remove invasive plants once they get loose. Invasive plants are pollution that reproduces on its own. NOTE: Lyme has now been CONFIRMED on Cape Breton Island.TRANSCRIPT
Invasive Plant Series pt. II
The Barbarous Japanese Barberry
Marian Whitcomb and David Quimby
Deer
White Footed Deer Mice
(Peromyscus leucopus)
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Seedling
Many Cultivars
Ixodes scapularisblack legged deer tick
Dog tick is bigger
…but any mammal or bird can carry deer ticks.
Where Lyme is endemic now
Lyme Disease symptoms
Bullseye rash Bell’s Palsy and asymmetrical arthritis
…and there is more….
• Other diseases carried by the black legged tick
• granulocytic anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis)
Similar to flu• Babesiosis protozoa can present as
malaria
Black Legged Tick
For safe removal-lift straight up
Tick Safety
• Tick check and bathe after being in woods.• Long sleeves, pants hems into socks• DEET repellent• Permethrin clothing repellents• Check your animals• Remove tick and identify. • If you find a deer tick, put in ziplock and
keep it. Monitoring is ongoing.
And there is even more…
• Prevents tree seedlings from growing
• Physical hazard of thorns
• Changes soil chemistry
• Contributes to
erosion
Suppression of forest growth
Spines! Ouch!
Erosion(and altered soil chemistry)
• Where barberry has taken over woodland areas, the plant can alter the soil chemistry (pH) and increase nitrate levels, making the soil inhospitable to existing woodland trees and understory plants who eventually decline along with the associated wildlife that depend on them.
What to do• Don’t buy or plant it• Closely monitor woods around it• Target where kids play, trails, special
natural areas.• Eradication often is a two step approach
taking 2-3 years.• Cut off the top growth just after flowering• Burn or dig it out the following year• Watch for seedlings or regrowth from roots
left in the ground.
Many alternatives
For more information:
Facebook: Cape Breton Invasive Plants discussion/latest info.
Pinterest: Invasive Plants of Cape Breton, Native Plants Cape Breton, and Weeds Common and Annoying photos, descriptions, eradication methods, garden worthy natives, and garden weeds
Blogspot: Invasive Plant of Cape Breton (in development) a place for documents, research, interactive tracking/reporting maps, and emerging threats.